MESSAGE #1283 THE ARROW CATCHER

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Anthony Kelly (above) likes to catch arrows with his bare hands. In fact, he also likes to catch paint balls. Kelly holds five Guinness World Records and supposedly has the fastest reactions on the planet. I caught up with Anthony recently and below is what I unearthed.

ET: What inspired you to do what you do?

AK: I was brought up watching Mohammed Ali and Bruce Lee and wanted to be like them (or better). I was amazed with their speed and power, also their strength of character.

ET: How do you train?

AK: I train and coach everyday both martial arts and Reaction Training from the beginners through to Olympic level athletes. This is important as our brains work in the same way but on different levels and I have found a way to open the channel between advanced and unexperienced athletes by the use of using basic learning skills and by building a strong foundation of learning to get the brain to reacting faster and faster as their training progress. Learning to react to stimuli, basically people on all levels enjoy learning and playing fast skills and are always happy to compete with others to gain extremely fast skills. One example I can give is play knuckles with me and you will quickly learn to respond faster. So to answer the question is I train by teaching and interacting with athletes on all levels of competencies.

ET: How do you cross-train?

AK: I am a coach of several sports and believe that training in many different sports is important, but the single most important aspect is to keep sharp by incorporating reaction action skills into every part of my life, like slipping through a door that’s about to shut, trying to catch things at ridicules speeds and enjoying the challenge of being as fast as I can be.

ET: How many other people do what you do?

AK: I hold many very unusual Guinness World Records and some have never been challenged, so that means that people are not interested or unwilling to achieve what I have. And as far as I know I am the only Specialist Reaction Coach. I introduced the World’s first electronic training device in 1995.

ET: What is your typical event like? Do you speak? Demo? Both?

AK: Training as I Coach is the best way for me to demonstrate the level that I work at and the level that athletes can achieve if they follow my Reaction training programme. Also once people are in the zone during training it is easier to communicate my ideas and philosophies about being super fast.

ET: Can reaction time be improved?

AK: Yes. Some people are born with ‘faster’ twitch fibre muscles then others, but I am a firm believer that you can improve any skill that you put your mind and body into learning. Through the correct training including:
A) Dedicate your life to being as fast as YOU can be. That means try and do the impossible like slipping into an automatic door before it closes play games with kids, but most importantly have fun.
B) Dream, visualize and create an awareness that you are the best that you can be and that you can even be better

ET: Do you work with athletes? How?

AK: I coach many local, state and national teams each year and individuals that what some training that is out of the ordinary.

ET: Were you “born” to do this?

AK: I have just been tested in some of the world’s best Universities and the conclusion is that I am 10 times faster than the average human and this is contributed to my genetics, (my father was very fast and strong and my grandfather was an famous bushman with extraordinary abilities, like grabbing a red-belly blacksnake and creaking (like a whip) their heads off and also my diet, which consists of just meat, potatoes, rice, bread and chocolate, I have NEVER eaten fruit or vegetables. Also my intense training resume.

ET: How has this helped you in other areas of life?

AK: Well I have a lot of fame but not much fortune. But training in martial arts and delving into the works of what goes on in our minds and body, it has shown me that we can all achieve what we want if we really want it.
My motto is ‘practice is the key to success’ so if I have a message it is find out what you want out of life and start training hard. Will you see results? Yes, but it will take time. Do not give up and you will achieve greatness.

For more on Anthony Kelly, visit: http://www.anthonykelly.com.au/

MESSAGE #1282 ARE YOU ON AUTOPILOT?

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Many athletes and coaches focus on doing something until it’s automatic. Sometimes this is good, but sometimes this is bad.

I recently read about a study at McDonald’s restaurants. Researchers had many people in different locations go to a McDonald’s restaurant and ask for only an order of french fries. Not a very interesting study so far, but…

63 percent of the McDonald’s employees responded, “Do you want fries with that?”

Do you want fries with your fries?

The employees were conditioned to ask that question, even though it made no sense.

Sometimes automatic is bad.

What if you only practice under perfect conditions? What if you only practice against the same people?

You won’t be able to perform outside of your “vacuum.”

Be mindful when you practice.

When I train tennis players, I purposely hit them different types of shots, different types of spin and different types of speed. I even hit different types of tennis balls once in a while, that bounce differently, just to keep the players honest.

Training should be purposeful, not just so you “look good.”

Think about it.

MESSAGE #1277 MENTAL BLOCKS

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We all get mental blocks. And we all need to overcome these blocks.

Imagine driving across the country from New York to California…with your emergency break on.

Many athletes go through their entire careers like that.

The problem is most people want to win, but they don’t want to get out of their comfort zone.

For all you athletes, amateur and professional, here’s my tip:

The best way to win more is to forget about winning.

During practice you need to THINK.

During competition you need to DO.

Play your game and trust your game.

MESSAGE #1262 A MESSAGE FROM MARK

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The only pressure I’m under is the pressure I’ve put on myself.
-MARK MESSIER, hockey great

Recently, there was a football kicker training at my sports center. He is only 13 but has “phenom” written all over him. He has been working hard, doing all the right things and developing quite nicely.

This past week he was training for a pro event, which is a very big deal and only a few days away.

Then something happened.

He started missing kicks he was making easily the weeks prior. He started looking and feeling nervous. He was not the same person.

What changed?

Nothing physically, but mentally he started over-thinking. He was focusing on how important this upcoming pro event is. He started trying too hard. The little negative voice inside his head began getting louder and louder.

This happens all the time in sports and life.

When the pressure’s on, many people fold.

But it is not pressure, it is perception.

There are two ways to look at pressure–you can either get frustrated or fascinated by it.

The choice is yours.

What would be my advice to this young kicker?

1. Understand that nerves are normal. Everyone gets nervous.

2. Take a deep breath to lower your heart rate and stay in the present moment.

3. Focus on the target, not the outcome.

4. Act as if it were impossible to fail.

5. Cultivate gratitude and have fun!

For a free 10-minute mental toughness consultation, email: or call 609.558.1077

MESSAGE #1260 THE WORLD’S SHORTEST SAD STORY

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Once upon a time a young boy said to his family, “I want to do great things in this world; I know I can.”

Then, an old man said to his family, “I wish I had done great things in this world; I wish I did.”

End of story.

Why is this story so sad?

Because the young boy and the old man were the same person.

At the end of your life, do you want to say, “I wish I had” or “I’m glad I did”?

I think we all know the answer.

You can also apply this mindset to each and every day. Each and every practice. Each and every game.

At the end of the day, or at the end of the game, take the mental toughness test.

You pass the test if you say:

“I’m glad I did.”

MESSAGE #1254 SUCCESS IS NOT MAGIC

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Nancy Johanson in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Magic is pretty simple: It’s practice, it’s training and it’s experimenting while pushing through the pain to be the best I can be.”
-DAVID BLAINE

Magic is not unlike sports, or life, for that matter.

David Blaine was not “born” to be a magician. He was “trained” to be one. As a young boy, Blaine was intrigued by Houdini. Magic became his passion. Then he got to work. He began training.

Blaine took the time to practice, he trained, he experimented and pushed through the pain.

Whether you’re a tennis player, chef, or business owner, you need to do the same.

Last night I spoke with my good friend Bob Ryland, who was the first black professional tennis player. He was also Arthur Ashe’s hero and coached the Williams sisters. Bob told me that the first time he saw the Williams sisters, he didn’t think they were talented.

But guess what?

They worked hard.

Harder than anybody.

And they got results.

And you can do the same.

MESSAGE #1245

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“The first and best victory is to conquer self.”
-PLATO

Recently, I worked with a young girl and she hated serving. She avoided it. Every time she practiced her serve, she would inevitably expect the worst.

I told her I was optimistic about her serve and that she should be as well. “You get what you focus on,” I told her.

Instead of focusing on how much she hated serving, I just told her to think about her technique and adjustments.

She stuck with it and started getting her serves in. And guess what?

She started smiling.

Had she given up or avoided serving, her serves would still be the same.

She conquered herself and began getting the results she wanted.

My student came up to me after class and said, “Thank you, coach. Today I learned a very important lesson.”

Conquer yourself and the sky is the limit.

MESSAGE #1240 WINNING MINDSET

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Practice like you are the worst player.

Compete like you are the best player.

Work hard in practice.

Stay loose in competition.

MESSAGE #1228 WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

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Are you looking for a certain level of success in sports, sales or school?

Is there somewhere you want to get to?

Let me tell you a secret.

It’s not out there.

Success is already inside you.

If you have the right mindset (all-out effort/constant improvement) and have passion for what you do, you are successful.

Set goals, but enjoy the process.

Success is a journey, not a destination.

Success is a marathon, not a sprint.

I recently spoke to a minor league baseball player and asked how his off-season was going, how his workouts were going. He said they were going fine. There wasn’t excitement in his voice. It didn’t sound like he was pushing himself to get to the next level. It almost sounded like he was giving up or that the major leagues was a near impossibility.

All of the successful people in the world have one thing in common–They act successful BEFORE they become successful. That comes from inside. And this is trainable.

There are no limits, you can always improve. Don’t be content. Create your vision. Start taking action.

With this mindset, ANYTHING is possible.

MESSAGE #1224 BRUCE LEE 3

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“Defeat is a state of mind.
no one is ever defeated
until defeat has been accepted
as a reality.
To me, defeat in anything
is merely temporary,
and its punishment is but an urge
for me to exert greater effort
to achieve my goal.
Defeat simply tells me
that something is wrong in my doing;
it is a path leading to
success and truth.”
-BRUCE LEE